


dinosaurs need representation too

by kiyala



Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-19
Updated: 2014-11-19
Packaged: 2018-02-26 06:47:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,440
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2642108
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kiyala/pseuds/kiyala
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Courfeyrac is smitten, Combeferre is sarcastic and Courfeyrac is even more smitten</p>
            </blockquote>





	dinosaurs need representation too

Hot Glasses Guy is in the coffee line when Courfeyrac walks into the café, talking to one of his friends. Courfeyrac hovers in the doorway for a moment, until someone clears their throat behind him, reminding him that he's getting in people's way. He murmurs an apology, stepping aside and joining the line, and his breath catches in his throat when Hot Glasses Guy briefly looks over his shoulder, seeing Courfeyrac and smiling at him before resuming his conversation with his friend. 

Courfeyrac can feel his face growing warm and he holds his hands to his face, hoping like hell that he isn't blushing. Not that it matters, because Hot Glasses Guy isn't even looking at him anymore, but all that really means is that he won't notice while Courfeyrac gazes at him longingly. 

Hot Glasses Guy has black, curly hair on the top of his head with the sides and back shaved, and stubble following the curve of his jaw. He has brown skin, dark brown eyes and Courfeyrac wishes that he couldn't remember the exact shade of them, from their five minute conversation the other day when they were in the university bookshop and reached for the same book on the science fiction shelf.

These are the things that Courfeyrac knows about Hot Glasses Guy, gleaned from the five minute conversation: he's a second year biotech student who has read every science fiction novel that Courfeyrac has heard of, and then some. He has a gorgeous smile and a soft laugh that Courfeyrac wants to hear more of. He's also hot, is taller than Courfeyrac by a head and shoulders, and he wears glasses.

In the five minutes of their conversation, Courfeyrac had been too tongue-tied to ask for Hot Glasses Guy's name. This sort of thing just doesn't happen to him and he has no idea how to deal with it, has no idea how to approach the guy and make casual conversation again. Regardless of how hot he is, Courfeyrac wants to at least be friends with him because he seems like a genuinely good person to be friends with. Except he's talking and laughing with someone else and Courfeyrac doesn't want to interrupt, so he's stuck two people behind Hot Glasses Guy in the coffee line, pining and feeling awkward. It's the worst feeling in the world.

He takes his phone out, pretending to text someone just so he'll have something to look at other than the back of Hot Glasses Guy's head and ends up texting Marius, asking him how things are going as he tries to track down the pretty girl who he'd knocked into that morning, whose book had somehow ended up in his bag. Dealing with Marius' distress is much more preferable than dealing with his own and Courfeyrac is distracted all the way until he reaches the counter and gives his order.

Except then he walks over to the side to wait for his coffee, and nearly drops his phone as he sees Hot Glasses Guy standing there, coffee in his hand, smiling at Courfeyrac. His friend is gone, and it's almost as if he was actually waiting for Courfeyrac.

"Hey, you're the guy from the bookshop."

"That's me," Courfeyrac smiles, suddenly feeling awkward all over again. "Bookshop guy."

"I never caught your name before," he says, and Courfeyrac stares because _what_. "I'm Combeferre."

"Courfeyrac. Nice to, uh. Meet you again."

Combeferre smiles, his hand big and soft and warm as he shakes the hand that Courfeyrac holds out to him. "It is. I was hoping I'd run into you again somewhere."

"Oh." Courfeyrac's face is warm all over again and this isn't fair. He was _smooth_ in high school. He's still smooth. Just… not in front of Combeferre. "Me too. I mean—it was good talking to you yesterday. I'd like to talk to you more, if you'd like."

Combeferre indicates his coffee cup, just as the girl behind the counter finishes making Courfeyrac's coffee. "Well, I'm free for the next hour before my next lecture."

Courfeyrac beams, picking up his coffee cup. "Lead the way."

They end up talking for so long that they both end up running late to their next lectures, but they exchange numbers with the promise of meeting up again. It might only be Combeferre being friendly, but Courfeyrac is happy with that. Right now, Courfeyrac is happy with anything.

:·:

Courfeyrac's first week of university ends with an introductory meeting for the queer rights society. He's been looking forward to it all week because he remembers meeting the president of the society during orientation week, blond and beautiful and determined to make a change. They'd gotten into a conversation at the society's stall and Courfeyrac walked away with a personal invitation to attend their meeting.

When Courfeyrac walks into the room as stated on the flyer, he grins at all the decorations. Someone has put up every queer flag that Courfeyrac has ever heard of, and then some, from pansexual to aromantic to genderqueer. There are name-and-pronoun tags by the door and Courfeyrac takes one, sticking it onto his shirt.

"Courfeyrac?" a familiar voice asks, making him jump. He turns around to see Combeferre smiling at him, already wearing a tag with his name on it. "Hey. It's good to see you here."

"Are you part of the society?" Courfeyrac asks, smiling in return.

Combeferre laughs softly. "I'm actually the vice president. Enjolras—the president—should be here soon too. Are you joining us?"

"That's the plan." Courfeyrac notices that Combeferre's friend is with him—the same one from the café earlier in the week. "Oh, hello."

"Hello. I'm Joly." He waves. "You know, Courfeyrac, I don't think Combeferre has shut up about you once all week—"

"Shouldn't you go and find your boyfriend or something?" Combeferre interrupts, looking embarrassed.

"He's not here yet," Joly replies cheerfully. "He's picking up our girlfriend from work. But it's fine, I can take a hint. I'll leave you to flirt in peace."

Combeferre coughs awkwardly as Joly walks away. "Sorry about that."

Courfeyrac beams. "I don't really mind."

"You don't?" Combeferre asks, his smile returning.

"We've met up for coffee three times this week," Courfeyrac points out. "Which, yeah, is because we get along really well, but I don't do that with just _anyone_ , you know?"

"Right." Combeferre clears his throat. "So, this is probably the point where I ask if you—"

"Doesn't the A stand for ally?" someone asks loudly from across the room, standing with two friends, frowning at one of the infographic posters stuck to the wall. "Like, what does _asexual_ even mean? Do they reproduce by mitosis?"

"Excuse me," Combeferre says to Courfeyrac before he says in a louder voice, addressing the group of three, "Actually, it stands for allosaurus."

"What?"

"It's a little-known fact," Combeferre says, very seriously. Courfeyrac is familiar with this particular tone, which he's labelled Combeferre's Science Voice. It's informative, in a way that makes people nod along to whatever he's saying because it makes anything sound plausible. "Millennia ago, the allosaurus was one of the most common kinds of dinosaur, except it was never particularly interested in sexual reproduction and eventually died out. It's believed that they're the ones responsible for dinosaurs going extinct."

" _Ohh_." The group of three nod like it makes perfect sense. Courfeyrac can't help the laugh that bubbles out of him.

"Wait," the guy who spoke before frowns. "What?"

Combeferre grins, catching Courfeyrac's eye before looking back at the group. "The A does not stand for ally. Allies don't need to be in the acronym. Not when there are people who are legitimately asexual, aromantic or agender. You can stay and educate yourselves if you'd like, but there is no place here for people who only stand for _some_ orientations and not others."

All three of them sit down silently, accepting the handouts that another member gives them, starting to read.

"That was very stern. Very well said." Courfeyrac probably shouldn't find it hot. He finds it incredibly hot.

"Enjolras is my best friend," Combeferre says with a small shrug. "The president of this society is asexual, aromantic and agender. I have no patience for people who deny the existence of orientations and gender identities just because they don't understand."

Courfeyrac grins. "I _really_ like you."

Combeferre smiles, indicating one of the tables nearby. "Well, the meeting's going to start as soon as Enjolras gets here. If you hang around afterwards, we usually all get drinks nearby. Or we could get dinner…?"

"Yeah." Courfeyrac sits, thrilled when Combeferre sits beside him. "Dinner sounds great."

**Author's Note:**

> the allosaurus scene popped into my mind out of nowhere and the rest of this fic was just a set up for it, idek


End file.
